What about us
by AJ12
Summary: Steve has gone to Vietnam, where he gets injured and the rest of the Sloan family deal with the consequnces. Please be nice this is my first fanfic.
1. Default Chapter

What about us  
  
DISCLAIMER - This story is written for pleasure and not for profit. The characters all belong to Vicom and not me :-(. All other characters and plot are my own.  
  
SUMMARY - While Steves away in Vietnam his regiment is attacked and he ends up injured. My story deals with how his family ( especially Carol) feel about what happened. Don't worry this is going somewhere.  
  
Chapter one  
  
The Sloans' sat around the TV in the living room of the beach house, well aware that a member of their close knit family was missing.The time on the clock was 11:30pm The year was 1972 and Steve was in the army touring Vietnam. Kathryn and Mark had their eyes glued to the Tv set watching the news channel for the latest developments in 'nam. Carol sat in the armchair looking at the Tv but not really taking any notice she was to busy thinking. She was thinking back to when Steve had left to do his duty. Something felt different from the last time he had gone, emotions were fully charged in each member of the family.  
  
********************  
  
US ARMY BARRACKS  
  
All around them soldiers of the 26th regiment were saying goodbye to their lovedones and right in the centre of it Steve was saying a tearful farewell to his family.  
  
Kathryn kept her arms tightly around her first borns neck, even thought she had to reach up to her tall son she couldn't seem to bring herself to let go.  
  
"Mom, I kinda need to breathe once in a while." Steve laughed trying to make light of the situation.  
  
Kathryn reluctantly let go, "Sorry honey, Mother priviliage." She said. Her smile tinge with sadness as she held him at arms length.  
  
"I'll be back soon mom, don't worry 'bout me okay, I'll be fine. I love you mom."  
  
"I love you to son. Please come home."  
  
"I will. I promise." Steve said sincerly as he hugged his mother again tighter than last time.  
  
Once he released her, he turned to her sister.  
  
"Hey sis keep an eye on these two will ya. Make sure nothing happens to you or them."  
  
"I promise big brother. Which part of Vietnam you going to again?" She laughed as he pulled her into a hug.  
  
"Um Da lat. Its in the south." Steve realeased her a bit. "Why do you want to know?"  
  
Carol blushed slighty. "'Cause we're giving a talk on the war for an assembley at school and I thought I could use you for a bit of personnel experience."  
  
"Cool I've never been part of an assembley before."  
  
Carol and Steve both laughed and hugged each other tightly. Dr Sloan brush a hand across his eyes as he wacthed his two children embrace, he couldn't let himself break down, his family needed him to be strong. Steve felt Carol's body shake as she tried not to cry.  
  
"Hey." He whisphered in her ear. "Don't worry 'bout me, I'll be back in no time. You'll see those eighteen months will fly by. Just remeber that your big brother loves you and stay away from those boys okay."  
  
"I love you to Steve." Carol smiled up at him as she released him from their hug.  
  
Finally Steve turned around to his father. having such a close bond with his dad Steve saw the pain and fear in his eyes. He seen that pain only twice before. The first time when he told his parents he was joing the army and the second was just before his first tour of Vietnam.  
  
"Dad I'll be fine, I have been out there before y'know." He faced his dad his voice quivered but he forced a little smile on to his lips.  
  
Mark looked at his son, he could see his eyes shinning with tears and recognised the look in his sons eyes instantly. He knew that his son was more afraid this time than his last tour. He knew Steve would never voiced his worries but Mark being his dad was atuned to his sons way of thinking. He knew Steve would give anything to go back to the beach house with his family and forget all about going to 'nam, but the likelyhood of that happening had odds of about a billion million to one.  
  
Mark pulled his son into his arms. "Please be careful out there. Come back to us in one piece and breathing too."  
  
"I will, I promise. I love you dad."  
  
"I love you too son."  
  
Father and son held eachother tightly.  
  
"Ok time to go gentlemen." A voice cut through the hubbub.  
  
Steve turned to each member of his family and hugged them tighter than he had before and then with a quick goodbye picked up his stuff and ran to the waiting coach. As the coach started to move out of the barracks it passed the remaining Sloans and Steve waved sadly as the coach pulled out.  
  
******************** THE BEACH HOUSE  
  
Carol returned back to reality as her mother gasped. It took her a few seconds to realise what had made her mother gasp, then she saw the TV. There had just been a news flash, Carol forced herself to concentrate on the TV but she couldn't believe what she was hearing.  
  
The news reporter spoke slowly and clearly though it seemed as they he was upset by he had just recieved.  
  
"This just in, US soldiers have been attacked in the city of Da lat in south west Vietnam. We are getting reports of seven fatalities and at least ten wounded. We go live now to our reporter in the field, Sara Wainwright just outside Cao Bang, next to the boarder of China."  
  
"Made sure she was further enough away didn't they?!?!!?!?!"  
  
"Kathryn, don't be like that." Mark said trying to remain calm. Placing both of his hands on too his wifes shoulders.  
  
Carol was surprised at the bitterness in her mothers voice, but she could understand why her mother felt that way, she was angry , just as Carol was. But it wasn't the TV reporters Carol was mad at like her mother was. Carol was mad at Steve.  
  
'If he hadn't had this stupid Idea to join the army.' Carol thought angrly. 'Then none of this would be happening, But no he had to go and play the big hero didn't he.'  
  
On the tv the news reporter was giving details of the regiment that had been attacked. Mark stared in disbelief as they mention that the regiment involved in the attack was the 26th regiment, Steve's regiment .  
  
"The only information that we have recieved from the camp is that enemy soldiers stormed the camp of the 26th regiment at roughly about 2.30 this morning, witnesses in the area report hearing explosions and the sound of gunfire continuing for many hours. Reinforcements on the US side arrived shortly after 4.00am. We have yet to discover the full exent of what happened. We will keep you posted with updates when we get them. Back to you in the studio."  
  
"Thank you very much Sara. If anybody out here has releatives in the 26th regiment we have a helpline for you to call, the number will appear on your screens shortly."  
  
With that the newscaster signed off and the helpline came onto the screen. Mark quickly reached for the pad and pen that were by the phone and copied down the number. Leaning forward in his seat Mark stared down at the number on the piece of paper. Unsure weather to call. Wanting to make sure his son was ok, but not wanting to encase his son was ............dead.  
  
"MARK!"  
  
"Huh. Oh sorry honey.I didn't hear you."  
  
"I said, will you please call the hotline and find out about Steve? Im really worried about Steve."  
  
"I'll phone now." Mark answered quickly reaching for the phone. Once he punched in the number the wait for someone to answer was agornising. Finally he heard a womans voice on the other end of the line.  
  
"Good evening Dalat reletives line. How may I help you?"  
  
"Oh hello my name is Dr Mark Sloan. Um Im calling about my son Steve Sloan. Hes in the 26th regiment. Can you tell me if he was injured or if ..............................Can you tell me if anything has happened to him."  
  
"Okay, Dr Sloan." The woman spoke quietly and calmly sensing the fathers need for news. " Can you give me your sons full name and rank?"  
  
"His name is Steven Micheal Sloan and his rank is corprol."  
  
"Okay just give me a few moments."  
  
Mark felt Kathryn pull on his free hand and took her hand in his. He turned to look at her a gave her a slight smile.  
  
"She just checking now."  
  
Carol lost in her thoughts, didn't hear any of the conversation. She was scared at the way she was feeling, all that was going through Carols mind was how could Steve put their family through this. She hoped he wasn't injured or dead but she couldn't help what she was feeling towards him. Surely she didn't hate her brother but the way she was feeling it was boardering on hate. Carols thoughts must have registered on her face. She jumped as her father reached down and touched her chin. She smiled up at him as he spoke.  
  
"Its okay honey. Don't worry about Steve he'll be alright."  
  
Carol smiled up at him once more and thanked god silently that her father couldn't hear what she was thinking.  
  
"Dr Sloan are you still there?"  
  
"Yes Im still here. Can you tell me anything?" Mark asked desperately wanting news on his son.  
  
"Yes. We have a corprol Steven M Sloan. Aged 20 years old from Los Angeles, California. Currently serving in the 26th regiment."  
  
"Yes thats my son. What happened to him?"  
  
"Weve found out that your son was on a recon mission which were patroling on the outskirts of the camp when the attack happened."  
  
Before Mark could feel any hope in what the woman was saying. She continued.  
  
"However once the attack took he was ordered to come back to camp but his team were attacked on the outskirts of the camp, from the reports we have from the survivours so far is that shots were fired directly at them. One soldier Sargent Mack Renolds was killed instantly, Sargent Sloan took chrage and ordered the men to take cover in nearby bushes and to draw thier wepons. One soldier, Private Chris Langstrom went into shock and was unable to move, even as the rest of the platoon called out to him as more shot were fied towards him. Sargent Sloan apparently got up and ran towards private Langstorm and tried to pull him towards the safety of the bushes and trees. As he grabbed hold of him, your son was hit in the thigh and fell to the ground taking private Langstrom with him. Fortunely both soldiers were pulled to safety and the others in their regiment were able to get them to a field hospital just outside of the camp. Private Langstorm recieved only cuts and brusies." The woman on the phone took a long deep breath before continuing.  
  
Oh my god, Mark thought what happened to him.  
  
The woman on the other end of the phone started to continue. "Your son has developed a fever making it hard for us to operate to remove the bullet out here in 'Nam. His temperature has reached 103oC, he has started to hallucanate and he is sweating and has fits."  
  
Mark collapsed back on to the sofa with the phone still in his hand. his face was pale shade of white when his wife looked at him. She felt her heart sink as she assumed the worst.  
  
"Oh my god no." She whisphered quietly.  
  
Mark turned around and looked at her. It took him about 2 seconds to realise what she thought had happened.  
  
"No Kathryn hes not dead." He whisphered to her. She mouthed "What happened to him?" at her husband. To which he mouthed back "I'll tell you in a minute."  
  
"Im sorry Dr Sloan did you say something."  
  
"No Im sorry. Please continue."  
  
"As I said your son is running a high fever and were are unable to operate out hereonce his fever has stablised we will be flying him to his registered hospital, which is Community general. Over the next few days we will be closely monitoring your sons condition, once we have his condition stablised someone will contact you in the next couple of days."  
  
"Thank you very much Mam."  
  
"Thats okay Dr Sloan, Im sorry it had to be under these circumstances. Goodbye."  
  
"Goodbye and thank you again."  
  
Mark replaced the phone into the cradle and turned around to face his wife and daughter who had moved from her postion on the chair to sit next to her mother on the sofa. They both looked up at Mark and he saw the expectation in their eyes, slowly he sat down and began to tell them everything he had been told over the phone.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	2. Waiting For News

Disclamiers - As before  
  
Chapter2  
  
Two days had passed and still they had had no news on Steve. Mark was up and about early, busying himself with the house work. Kathyn got up about half an hour after her husband, she watched him for abit and smiled to herself. She knew how much Mark missed Steve. She missed Steve, sometimes she missed him so much her heart would ache and she would take a walk down the beach, stop and sit on one of the dunes and cry and then come back to the house feeling able to get on with reality. But with Mark it was different, She knew Mark loved his children equally,but Steve was always his blue eyed little boy. She remembered when Steve had first mentioned about going into the army.  
  
******************** 1970 FRIDAY AFTERNOON  
  
At 4:00pm Katheryn was preparing dinner for when her kids came home from school and her husband came home from work. Steve was in his final year and was hoping to go to collage on a sports scholarship and Carol had a few more years left in school, dreamed of being a nurse. Kathryn looked out of the window and smiled as she regonised the familar faces of her two children and there best friends walking towards the beach house. She saw Carol say goodbye to her friend and ran into the house, she kissed her on the cheek and ran into the living room and turned on the tv. Kathryn waited for her son to come bounding through the door with his usual wide grin, but after about five minutes had past and no sign of Steve, she looked back out the window again. Steve was talking to Tom, he had his head down and Tom had his hand on Steves shoulder. Somethings not right here thought Kathryn as her mothers intution kicked, but she held back. Steve was a happy go lucky kid but would tell you in his own time if something was bothering him. She turned back to the kitchen and continued preparing dinner. After about five to ten minutes she heard the front door slam signaling her sons arrival into the house.  
  
"Hi mom. Whats cooking?" Steve called to his mother from the living room. Kathryn turned round and saw her sons usual smiling face.  
  
"Oh hey honey." She leaned up to kiss his cheek. "Im cooking a full cooked dinner. Roast lamb and all the trimmings."  
  
"Yum sounds great, er mom do you know when dad will be home, I need to tell you both something?"  
  
"Um about nine o'clock I think, do you wanna tell me now or wait for your dad?  
  
"I'd rather wait for dad to come home so that I can tell you both. Ok?"  
  
Kathryn eyed him questioningly, but decided to say nothing.  
  
"Okay honey, have you two got any homework?"  
  
"Yep, I've got geometry and physics." Steve replied pulling a face which made Kathryn laugh. She then turned to her daughter.  
  
"And what about you young lady?"  
  
"Not much." Carol said walking over to the fridge and taking out a soda. " Just some english and home ec."  
  
Kathryn looked at Carol a bit bewildered. "Huh? Home what?"  
  
"Home economics." Steve clarified, then he looked at Carol and they both collaspsed into giggles.  
  
"Oh like that is it." Kathryn smiled jokingly chastising her two children. "Right well you two better go and do your homework before dinner or you won't get any."  
  
Groaning Steve and Carol went into their respective bedrooms to begin their homework. Later that night Mark Sloan pulled his car into the driveway of the beach house. It had been along day and a very emotional one, where he found himself having to deal with telling a man, about the same age as Mark, that he had just lost wife and his two children. That had been the hardest thing, the man had been taking his family on a trip, when a drunk driver had smashed into their car, knocking it through the crash barrier. As the car went down a hillside, the man had been thrown clear and the car had carried on going. Until it eventually went over the edge killing all three passengers. The man was hysterical and had to be given a seditive to help him calm down and sleep. After that Mark went into the locker room and slamed his fist into the first avalible locker and cursed as it started to hurt. He sank to The bench waiting for five minutes for the pain to stop and reached in his back pocket and opened it. He stared at the picture of his wife and children. He ran his finger over each one of their face and made a solomn promise to himself that if he could prevent it there was no way he would lose them. He would do anything humanly possible to protect them. He was startled out of his reprive by a knock at the car window he turned to see his wife standing there. He rolled down the windiow.  
  
"Hey honey." She said leaning into give him a kiss. "Are you planning to stay in there the whole night or are you thinking about coming inside sometime to night?" She asked through a smile.  
  
"Well see now that depends." He joked  
  
"Depends on what?" His wife asked, curiousity getting the better of her.  
  
"Well it depends if I get another kiss." He replied smiling happily.  
  
Kathryn reached through the window and cupped Marks face gentley in her hands and pulled his lips to hers.After several moments they broke the kiss.  
  
"Come on theres a roast dinner in there." She smiled  
  
"Okay im coming." Mark said as he wound the window up, steped out of the car, locked it up and sliped his arm around Kathryn and they started to walk back to the house. "Have the kids eaten?"  
  
"No, they wanted to wait for." Kathryn smiled at him. "And before you ask, they've both done their homework and Steve laid the table and Carol helped me serve the food up. The meals are in the oven keeping warm and the kids are watching TV."  
  
"And?" Mark asked.  
  
"And what?"  
  
"Come on Kathryn theres something else I know." Mark said firmly.  
  
"Well Steve......" She stopped when she saw Marks body stiffen. "Calm down Mark nothing wrong with him and hes not in any trouble, well I think hes not, but he wants to talk us later after dinner when Carol goes to bed. Just don't say anything in front of Carol, okay Mark?"  
  
"Don't worry I won't say anything." He held up three fingers. "Scouts hounor or should that be doctors hounor."  
  
He smiled warmly at his wife as they continued the rest of the way to the house in slience.  
  
Once inside the house kathryn went into the kitchen, while Mark went into the living room to see his son and daugther. He found them sitting at opposite ends of the couch, with thier feet on the middle cushion watching some documentry programme. Mark moved to the back of the couch and just stood there watching them. After about five minutes had gone past and neither of them had said Mark leant down over the back of the sofa.  
  
"So noones gonna give thier ol' man a hug then."  
  
He laughed as they both jumped and two pairs of eyes looked directly at each other and then at Mark. They both smiled and jumped off the sofa. Carol was the first to Mark and Steve stood back while Mark hugged Carol, who once she had let go went into the kitchen to help her mom. Mark walked towards Steve and engulfed him in a big hug, surprise to feel Steve return the hug even tighter. Mark pulled away and looked at his son. Steve was smiling but Mark could see something troubling hom as his normally bright blue eyes were sad and a bit dull.  
  
"You ok son?" Mark questioned softly as he ruffled his sons floppy mess he called hair.  
  
"Yeah dad, but I need to talk to you and mom later. OK?" Steve asked.  
  
"Ok son." Mark said.  
  
Dinner went by quickly with chatter about school and work. After dinner the family sat down to watch TV. After ten minutes Carol said she was tired and that she was off to bed. Mark picked up the remote and turned the tv off and turned to look at Steve.  
  
"Ok son, you wanted to talk."  
  
"Ok ." Steve whisphered quietly as he shifted in his seat. "Well we had avist at school today..............He was a sargent from the army."  
  
"Alright and what did he say?" Mark asked slowly, not liking where this conversation was going.  
  
"He was speaking about the war in Vietnarm and about how they need more volenteers to go over there."  
  
Kathryn grabbed her husbands hand she knew Steve had always been the adventurous type climb trees and do sports at school, but war at least doing the other things she knew for certain that Steve would come back to her.  
  
"Steve please tell me you don't want to join the army?" Kathryn asked.  
  
"Mom I want to do this."  
  
"Have you spoken to Mr Delaney your headmaster?" Mark asked his son.  
  
"I spoke to him after the assembley. He was very encouraging. He took me to his office and we had a long talk with the sargent. It was very informative. He wants to talk to you two as well, as Im still a minor. Please can you understand this is what I really want to do."  
  
"We understand son. Have you really thought this through enough though. Are you sure you know what your letting your self in for? You do realise you could die out there." Mark felt kathryns hand gripp his tighter.  
  
"I know that and can fully understand why you and mom are worried dad but." Steve paused taking a deep breath before continuing. "This is something I want to do. Something I can do. Im not as smart as you dad but this is something I can do and I need to feel that I making a difference."  
  
"I know you do son, but please for your mother and my sake please think this through a bit more." Mark said softly looking at his son.  
  
"I will dad, I promise."  
  
Kathryn stood up and walked over to Steve's chair. She knelt down beside him and took his hand.  
  
"Honey you know we love you and we want whats best for you. We will always support you in whatever you do."  
  
"I know mom." Steve said smiling at her.  
  
"Whens the sargent coming to see us?"  
  
"In about three days I think."  
  
"Well Steve take the three days to have a long hard think about it and if after the three days and after we spoke to the sargent you still want to go ahead and join the army then we will give our blessing. We may not like it but we'll surpport you." Kathryn look into her sons eyes and saw the tears brimming at the words. She pulled him into a hug. Once in his mothers embrace Steve finally let the emotion that he had tried so hard to keep under control alday, he finally let all the emotion out and broke down in his mothers arms. Mark who had been watching it all from the sofa knelt down beside his wife and son and put his arms around both of them. They stayed that way till Steve had finally stop crying.  
  
"Steve why are you so upset for honey?" Kathryn asked softly.  
  
Steve waited till his breathing returned to normal to answer. "Because I love you two and Carol alot and I never want to hurt you. I was so worried about telling you both. I just was scared that you might hate me, think that I wanted to leave home."  
  
"Steve you didn't hurt us and never be afraid to tell us anything you should know that by know after seventeen years. We love you too. We will never stop loving you." Mark whisphered to him, holding him tighter. After awhile The three pulled apart. They continued to talk for a while until Mark noticed Steves eyes begin to droop and when he looked at his watch he saw that it was ticking towards half past one.  
  
"Oh jeez would you look at the time." Mark said running a hand across his eyes. "Time for you to go to bed mister."  
  
Steve got up slowly and walked over to his parents and leant over to kiss his mom goodnight, then he moved over and gave his dad a hug.  
  
"Thanks mom and dad. Goodnight." Steve smiled as he walked to his bedroom.  
  
"Goodnight." They both called after him.  
  
Later that night after everyone had gone to bed Kathryn turned over in bed and realised that Mark wasn't there. She smiled to herself as she knew exactly where he had gone. Slipping out of bed and pulling on her dressing gown, she quietly crept down to Steve's room and pushed the door open. Sure enough there was Mark sitting next to Steves bed watching his beloved son sleep. She smiled at the doorway content to watch the two men in her life.  
  
************************************************  
  
Mark touched Kathryns arm bring her back to the present.  
  
"Hey you looked a million miles away." Mark commented as he pulled his wife into an embrace. "Thinking about Steve huh?"  
  
"I was just thinking about the day he told us he was joining the army. The night I found you in his room watching him sleep." They both smile at the memory. Mark leaned in and gave his wife a kiss. Just then Carol walked into the room.  
  
"Oh please child in the room." Carol laugehed as she smiled at her parents.  
  
"Very funny young lady. Anyway good morning to you." Kathryn said as she moved to the kitchen to start breakfast. "What would you two like Ive got pancakes, I could do a cooked breakfast or I could........................"  
  
Kathryn was cut off by the phone ringing. They all looked at each other. All three unsure what to do after about three rings Mark picked up the phone.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	3. Someone to confided in

Hi everyone. Sorry I haven't updated for a long time but I have been dealing with some very bad personal issues from the begining of this year, which have only just been resolved. Anyway hope you continue to enjoy the story and I will update more often from now on.  
  
Thanks for the feedback.  
  
Love Alison. xx  
  
Someone to confide in  
  
Mark slowly reached over and grasped the phone.  
  
"Hello."  
  
"Can I speak to Doctor Mark Sloan please?" Asked the woman at the other end of the phone.  
  
"Speaking."  
  
"Good morning, I calling about your son, we spoke previously a couple of days ago."  
  
"Oh yes I remember. Hows Steve doing?" Mark asked quickly. At the sound of Steve's name both Kathryn and Carol looked around towards the phone.  
  
"He's doing fine. I have good news and bad news for you." The woman at the other spoke and Mark could sense the smile in her voice as she spoke. "His temperature is down to about 99.5 oC which isn't great but it's manageable. The hallucations and fitting has stopped, but as you know we do not have the facillities to remove the bullet. Thats the bad news. The good news is that we will continue to monitor his condition though out the day and if the doctor is satisfied with his progress, we will be able to airlift him to Community General at around 7:30pm EST."  
  
Mark felt tears fill his eyes as he sagged against the unit. Kathryn ran over to him.  
  
"Mark is Steve Ok? Nothings happened has it? Mark please tell me!" Kathryn pleaded as she stared intently at Mark.  
  
Mark spoke to the woman on the phone.  
  
"Can you please hold on a moment."  
  
"Sure, take all the time you need to talk to your wife. She must be very concerned about her son."  
  
"Thank you." He said and held his right hand over the mouthpiece.  
  
"Nothings happened, Steve's improving very well. They will continue to monitor his progress over the next few hours and if his conditon continues to improve they will be airlifting him to community general at about 7:30pm EST." Mark smiled as he saw his wife's face light up.  
  
"You mean he's really coming home?" Kathryn asked quietly, her eyes brimming with tears.  
  
"Yes he's really coming home!"Mark felt like the smile on his face would spilt him in two. He kissed his wife lightly on the lips. "He's really coming hom now honey."  
  
As Mark carried on talking to the woman on the phone, Kathryn took a seat beside him. Neither of them notice carol slipping outside to the balcony and stood there staring out to sea. She knew that she should be happy about Steve coming home, but there was something inside of her that was eating away at her. She could feel the anger rising again. What would happen when Steve got home, would he be invalided out of the service or would he get better and put there family through hell once again. Carol was so lost in thought that she hadn't noticed Tom come up beside her.  
  
"Any news on Steve?" Tom asked tentively and was shocked when Carol seemed to jump a mile.  
  
"Hey easy. I didn't mean to scare you. Has anything happened?"  
  
"Ummm yes ..............no.............he." Carol stuttered trying hard to regain some composure. She took some deep breaths. But before she could speak any further Kathryn came out of the door.  
  
"Thats where you got to. We were worried about you. Oh hello Tom, did Carol tell you about Steve?"  
  
"No mom, I was just about to."Carol replied.  
  
"What about Steve? Has something happened?" Tom rapidly fired questions at Kathryn.  
  
"Calm down honey." She rested her hands on Tom's shoulders while he took a couple of deep breaths. When she judged he was calm she spoke to him.  
  
"We recieved a phone call a couple of minutes ago saying that they had stablized him and they are now preparing him for the flight home."  
  
"Really? When?" Tom was litterally bouncing around on the deck of the beach house. Carol burst out laughing at the spectical.  
  
"They are bringing him in by helicopter which will land at Community general at half past seven tonight." Kathryn said laughing along with Carol.  
  
"Oh thank god." Tom sighed thankfully. "Do you think that Steve will go back into the army when he's better?"  
  
Carol's heart dropped as a look of dread flickered across her mothers face.  
  
"I don't know honey. We'll just and wait and see what Steve decides, once he's better. Anyway who wants breakfast? Tom will you be staying?"  
  
"Yes, if it's not to much trouble Mrs Sloan?" Tom replied flashing what he hoped was his best smile.  
  
"No, no trouble at all. I'll call you both when its ready." Kathryn replied walking to the beach house, once he was inside Tom looked at Carol.  
  
"Ok, what gives?" He asked.  
  
"What do you mean?" Carol looked at Tom and then out into the ocean. She could feel tears of anger well up in her eyes. Her feelings were all over the place. She was angry at Steve for causing thier family such pain. She knew it was for the good of the country and it would benifit them all in the end, all though at the moment she couldn't see how. Surely she didn't hate Steve for what he had done, did she.  
  
"Carol you've been acting strange since I got here and I saw the look on your face when I asked if Steve was going back into the army. Whats wrong? Weve known each other for years now surely you can tell me." Tom said moving next to her to lean on the rail.  
  
Ok its now or never Carol thought. She looked at Tom and decided that she could trust him. She really did need to confide in someone.  
  
"Ok. I think..............." Carol took a deep breath. "I Think ................. I think I hate steve."  
  
TBC 


End file.
